A recent sightings update from volunteer Gary.
A very wet and windy day at Pulborough Brooks, although to start with it looked promising as we walked down to Westmead with the occasional bullfinch, blackcap, chiffchaff and whitethroat popping up. Shoveler, teal and mallard were contentedly sleeping, so we left them to it. A spotted flycatcher was busy behind adder alley along with some assorted warblers, but before we could get a better look it started to pour, so it was exit stage left to Winpenny hide.
Spotted flycatcher on 'Adder Alley' - photo by David Andrews
A cursory look revealed greylag and canada geese but little else, but an enforced stay in hide makes you look harder – and it was well worth it. A huge panicked flock of distant teal alerted us to a possible raptor, and after some scanning what looked like a sub-adult male marsh harrier slowly drifted backwards and forwards over the south brooks. However, the teal and now some lapwing did not seem settled, and then we saw why, a peregrine made some spectacular low passes at high speed without apparent luck before it eventually joined a buzzard and circled high into the distance. A second juvenile marsh harrier appeared but soon vanished.
Still waiting for a lull in the weather, we watched as the cattle drifted closer onto some lower grass and at last revealed an accompanying flock of about 20 yellow wagtails. Meadow pipits were everywhere, and a huge flock of house martins passed through as well. The rain was starting to ease, so time to move on again.
Yellow wagtail - photo by Chris Prince
In adder alley we caught up with the warbler flock which had blackcap, whitethroat, chiffchaff, a garden warbler and a spotted flycatcher. Once we got to the hanger a green sandpiper and five dunlin could be seen wandering about on the mud. Surprise, surprise the sun came out, and a radio message alerted us to two siskin near the picnic site, and boy did they look splendid as they fed on thistle heads.